Perforated screen for carding machines



1957 R. B. JENKINS, SR 3,348,269

PERFORATED SCREEN FOR CARDING MACHINES Original Filed Sept. 6, 1966 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,348,269 PERFORATED SC EEN FOR 'CARDING MACHINES Robert Bain Jenkins, Sn, Gastonia, N.C., assignor to R. B. Jenkins & Co., Inc., Gastonia, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Original application Sept. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 582,191.

Divided and this application May 5, 1967, Ser. No.

4 Claims. (Cl. 1995) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to carding machines and more particularly to an improved screen for such machines which includes a channeling means for directing more of the air currents carrying dust and lint through the central area of the screen than through the edges of said screen.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 582,191, filed Sept. 6, 1966, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 403,468, filed Oct. 13, 1964.

Conventional screens for carding machines comprise a plurality of transversely extending bars arranged in parallel relation to one another about the lower periphery of the main cylinder of the carding machine. The spacing of the screen from the main cylinder varies depending upon the type and quality of fiber being processed. During the carding operation, some of the fibers, lint and foreign matter from the Web are carried by the main cylinder across the proximal surface of the screen, and air currents created through rotation of the main cylinder cause at least a portion of such lint and foreign matter to pass between the bars defining the screen. Such lint and foreign matter accumulate beneath and about the frame of the carding machine from whence it is subsequently collected.

In recent times the speed at which the cylinders of the carding machine are driven have increased to such an extent that the air currents created through rotation of the main cylinder tend to move transversely of the conventional screen or along the length of the bars, carrying lint and foreign matter laterally or transversely of the card from whence it is dispersed throughout the room rather than permitting it to fall through the screen and accumulate beneath the card as in the past. The lateral displacement of the lint causes it to settle on the frame of the card and on surrounding machinery creating a safety and fire hazard and also endangering the quality of the material being processed on the carding machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide a card screen that induces the air currents created through rotation of the main cylinder in high-speed carding to pass through the screen beneath the main cylinder carrying the lint and foreign matter beneath the card from whence it may be easily collected, rather than dissipating such lint laterally of the card as has heretofore been experienced in highspeed carding with conventional screens.

It is a more specific object of this invention to so configure the screen that larger air spaces are provided in the screen adjacent the midpoint of the main cylinder than is provided at the ends of the cylinder. According to the disclosed embodiments of the invention, this may be accomplished by providing a perforated screen having larger perforations adjacent the midpoint of the cylinder than adjacent the ends, as will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side view of a carding machine with parts broken away and showing the relation of the screen to the main cylinder; and

, 3,348,269 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 tion. The lickerin, main cylinder and dolfer are indicated at 11, 12 and 13, respectively. The main cylinder screen is broadly indicated at 14. The screen, as best shown in FIGURE 2, includes side frame members 15 and 16 and transverse end frame members 17 and 18 between which extends a longitudinal central rib 19.

The invention resides in providing means for decreasing the amount of air obstructing material at the center of the screen relative to the amount present at the sides of the screen.

Turning now to the form of invention shown in FIG- URE 2, a perforated plate 20 is positioned and secured by tack welding or the like in the area defined by the sides 15 and 16 and ends 17, 18. Plate 20 has rows of tear-shaped perforations 22 so arranged that the perforations 22 in each row are staggered relative to the perforations in adjacent rows. As shown in FIGURE 2, the larger rounded end portion of each perforation extends toward the longitudinal axis of the frame. Also, the area of the perforations adjacent the longitudinal axis of the screen is greater than that of the perforations at the sides; the perforations gradually diminishing in size as they approach the sides of the screen.

It is to be recognized that although tear-drop shaped perforations are shown and described in the paragraph above, any shape or grouping of perforations that provide a surface being more air perforate adjacent the central portion of the screen than at the edges thereof would similarly fall within the scope of this invention. The perforations might be rectangular, triangular, oval, circular, polygonal, etc. and still operate satisfactorily according to this invention. Therefore the invention is not intended to be limited to the tear-drop arrangement described above.

When properly positioned beneath the main cylinder of a carding machine in a conventional and well known manner, the improved screen of this invention induces the air currents created by rotation of the main cylinder during the carding operation to be channeled through the enlarged central open areas of the screen. Consequently, lint and other foreign matter is carried through the enlarged openings at the center of the screen and is deposited beneath the frame of the card in a central location where it may be easily removed rather than being dispersed throughout the room by the lateral displacement of the air as has heretofore been experienced in high-speed carding operations.

There is thus provided an improved card screen by means of which lint and foreign matter is more efiiciently removed and is more readily accumulated in a central location beneath the card for easy removal than has heretofore been possible.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A screen for carding machines having a main rotating cylinder which creates air currents that strike said screen, said screen comprising:

(a) a frame having a longitudinal axis transverse to 3 4 the axis of the main cylinder and including a pair 2. A screen according to claim 1 in which said perforaof longitudinally extending parallel side members tions are arranged in rows, each row of which is staggered spaced from each other and on opposite sides of relative to the perforations in adjacent rows are located said longitudinal axis; on staggered centers.

(b) channeling means extending between said side 5 3. A screen according to claim 1 in which each of said members for channeling more of said lint laden air perforations is tear-shaped, the larger rounded end porcnrrents through said screen intermediate said side tion of each perforation extending toward the longitudinal members than at said side members; and axis of said frame.

(c) said channeling means comprising: 4. A screen according to claim 3 in which said perfora- (i) a plate member extending between the side 10 tions are arranged in rows, each row of which is staggered members of said frame; relative to the perforations in adjacent rows are on (ii) said plate member having a plurality of perstaggered centers.

forations therein, and (iii) said perforations being of a given size ad- No references Citedjacent the longitudinal axis of the screen and 15 decreasing in size toward the side members. DORSEY NEWTON Primary Exammer- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,348,269 October 24, 1967 Robert Bain Jenkins, Sr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column lines 3 and 4, strike out "are located on staggered centers column 4 lines 11 and I2 strike out "are on staggered centers.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of October 1968.

SEAL) Xttest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

testing Officer 

1. A SCREEN FOR CARDING MACHINES HAVING A MAIN ROTATING CYLINDER WHICH CREATES AIR CURRENTS THAT STRIKE SAID SCREEN, SAID SCREEN COMPRISING: (A) A FRAME HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS TRANSVERSE TO THE AXIS OF THE MAIN CYLINDER AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PARALLEL SIDE MEMBERS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS; (B) CHANNELING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE MEMBERS FOR CHANNELING MORE OF SAID LINT LADEN AIR CURRENTS THROUGH SAID SCREEN INTERMEDIATE SAID SIDE MEMBERS THAN AT SAID SIDE MEMBERS; AND (C) SAID CHANNELING MEANS COMPRISING: (I) A PLATE MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE MEMBERS OF SAID FRAME, (II) SAID PLATE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF PERFORATIONS THEREIN, AND (III) SAID PERFORATIONS BEING OF A GIVEN SIZE ADJACENT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SCREEN AND DECREASING IN SIZE TOWARD THE SIDE MEMBERS. 